Second Chances
by Bex818
Summary: Running from an abusive father, 16-year-old Bella moves in with her half sister in Chicago to save her unborn child from living the same fate. Can Edward save her from the misplaced guilt of her mothers death? E/B. Eventual lemons. Possesiveward, Tattward, Sweetward, Olderward. OOC. HEA. AU.
1. Chapter 1 EDITED

**A/N: Hello to anyone reading this! I have been reading Fanfiction for about 7 years now and I thought I'd give it a shot! If you do read it please leave a review letting me know how I did. I'm really nervous about it because this is my first time writing anything so any feedback is welcome**

 **I only have this chapter written but my break from college is just two weeks away and then I'll have all the time in the world to write. So if you enjoy please, please leave a review! I get all of my motivation from being under pressure so feel free to say whatever you'd like, but please, be nice about it**

 **No one has pre read it or anything so please excuse the mistakes! I am looking for a beta so if anyone is interested just PM me**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything related to Twilight, it all belongs to Stephanie Myers**

XxXxXx

May 2011, Forks, Washington

I stare at the positive pregnancy test in my shaking hands.

Numb. That's all I feel.

Numbness.

How is this possible? It was one time. One time with my longtime friend, Jacob Black.

I'm sixteen years old, the relationship was nothing serious, a way to get rid of my virginity before . . . before my father takes it from me. The beatings have never gone that far, but who knows? If he can beat his only daughter on a daily basis, then who's to say he won't start sneaking into my room at night? The beatings have been there for as long as I can remember. Hiding bruises, covering up cuts, that's normal for me. I could do it in my sleep, or, in some instances, with broken ribs from being pushed down the stairs one too many times. Of course, no one suspected anything, why would the Chief of Police beat his daughter? He was a man of the law, how could someone like that beat up their own child? Well, I knew how: guilt. He says that I am to blame for the death of my mother, and I am. If I hadn't been born then my mother would still be alive. How could I argue with that logic?

The slam of a door downstairs jolts me from my thoughts.

Oh no. He's home early.

Dinner isn't ready yet.

I look at the clock hanging in the bathroom, and I scramble to my feet, trying my best to cover the pregnancy test in the trash, before rushing downstairs. He wasn't early, I had been lost in thought over this for almost an hour! There was no way I wasn't going to get a beating for this.

"Isabella!" he bellows up the stairs, "Why is my dinner not prepared?"

"I am sorry, Father" I say, as I run down the stairs, into the kitchen, throwing my brown, hip length hair into a haphazard bun on top of my head, "I was doing my homework and lost track of time."

He looks up from his phone, sitting at the table, in his police uniform with his gun and nightstick still on his hip. "That's no excuse. Why do you need good grades if you are never going to amount to anything?" If he had his way, I would never go to school, but that would be suspicious.

I look down at the ground, wishing I hadn't put my hair up, to have something to hide behind, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again, Father."

He glowers at me before looking back down at his phone, "Now don't just stand there, Isabella. Do something with your useless existence, and make me my dinner." Under his breath he murmurs, "Your mother would've had dinner ready on time."

Teary eyed, because no matter how many times he rightfully blames me for my mother's death, it still hurts, I answer, "Yes father."

Reheating the steak and potatoes from last night as a quick fix, I get lost in my thoughts again. The first time I remember him actually being violent, and not just verbal, was when I was eight years old.

 _I slowly walk back from the bus stop, dreading having to ask daddy to drive me to school. The last time I had to ask he didn't give me food at home for a whole day! He said I had to learn time management, which I'm not completely sure what it is. I take a deep breath before opening the front door and walking into the living room. I just stand in the doorway, daddy ignoring me on the couch. "Daddy." I say, my voice just above a whisper_

 _He looks up and gives me a dirty look, "I thought you went to school," he spat._

" _Uhm, well, the thing is," I stumble over my words._

" _Well spit it out, little girl" he grits out between his teeth, "I don't have all day."_

" _I-kinda-sorta-missed-the-bus." I rush out, my words meshing together. I wait for what seems like hours, but was really just a minute, as he just stares at me. "Can you, maybe, give me a ride to school, then?"_

" _I have work to get to," he starts, his face bright red, now, from anger, "and you expect me to take time out of my schedule to drive you to_ fucking _school?" As he talks he stands up and starts stalking towards me. As he walks, I try to make myself as small as possible by backing up until my back almost hits the door knob. I stay silent, not knowing what to say, and afraid. "Well?" he asks. When I don't answer, he makes a disgusted noise as he reaches his hand back and back hands me so hard that I hit my back on the door knob from the force and then slide down the door, until I'm curled up in a ball on the floor. "You can go to school tomorrow, bitch." That's how the beatings started._

I feel the pain before I even registered that he had moved. Something, probably his nightstick, came down, hard, on my ribs, just under my breast from the side. "Isabella! My food is burning and you're just standing there, daydreaming! What is wrong with you, bitch?"

Clutching my side, I probably have a bruised rib again, I say "I am sorry, Father! I don't know what's wrong with me." _I should not have said that, should not have said that._

"You don't know? _You don't know?_ How about I remind you, bitch!" As soon as the last word was out of his mouth, he hit me over and over and over again with his nightstick. My arm, my ribs, over and over, my stomach. So many times that I end up on the floor curled up in the fetal position, trying to protect my stomach, my baby.

 _Nice work, you useless piece of shit, now you're gonna get the shit beat out of you. Why can't you just be better? No wonder your mom left, who would ever want you as a daughter?_

Sometimes my inner voice could be harsh. I know he deserves a better daughter. I try and try, but I am never good enough, and I have accepted that I will never be loved.

He enjoys it when I cry out, so I try to stay silent, but every once in a while I let out a whimper, which spurs him on even more. When he is done with his nightstick, he throws it to the side and moves on to kicking me: in the face, in the back, my legs, my sides, anywhere he can reach.

With one final blow to the head, he knocks me out.

XxXxXx

When I regain consciousness, it's dark outside. All of the lights are out in the house and I am still on the floor in the kitchen. I crawl over to the table and use one of the chairs to pull myself upright, cringing as something pulls on my back, and then I go into the living room. It's empty so I look out the window. The cruiser is gone.

Good.

I slowly make my way up the stairs, cringing and holding my sides the whole way up, to the one bathroom in the house. That's where my first aid kit is. I get to the bathroom, winded from the trek up the stairs, and look at myself in the mirror. My hair has partly come down from the bun I had it in earlier, so I take it down and fix it. Next, I look at the rest of my face.

There is a dark cloud already forming into a black eye around one of my lifeless, brown eyes. My cheeks are scattered with various bruises and cuts, and my pouty, full lips are dry and I have a cut that is starting to swell already, with some blood smeared down my chin. I take a washcloth and wipe it off before getting to work cleaning and inspecting the various bruises and cuts all over my face.

Usually, Father tends to stay away from my face, because it is harder to cover up, but I guess something else must have made him upset today.

Next, I check my ribs and see some bruising around them, but I don't think any of them are broken, probably just bruised, thank God. Last time Father broke them it took twice as long for them to heal because he knew they were broken and he made sure to hit me there the most. I use some Ace wrap to wrap around my body. As I am wrapping my back, I look in the mirror and groan. Mixed in with all of the old and new bruises, is a cut reaching from my hip all the way across my back at a diagonal until it stops just below my shoulder blade. That must have been what pulled at my back when I was standing up.

Sometimes, after I pass out, he likes to take his hunting knife and leave one, thin cut on some part of my body, to remind me that he controls me. This has been the longest one yet.

After I've finished taking care of my injuries, I go back downstairs and pick up the food and the broken plate that must have gotten knocked over during the struggle earlier, and throw them away, which takes twice as long as it normally would've because of all of my injuries.

When I get to my room, I change into sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, from Goodwill, and carefully crawl into bed. It takes me a while to get into a comfortable position, because of the cut, and I eventually end up on my side, with my hand over my stomach.

Sighing, I think of everything that could go wrong with my baby. I know that if Father finds out, he'll try and beat it out of me. If he doesn't, then my baby will grow up like I did, and my baby hasn't done anything wrong yet, like I did. I would never wish the guilt and shame I feel everyday on my worst enemy. Running away isn't an option, I'm not allowed to have a job so I don't have any money except for the $30 Father gives me every Sunday for groceries. And I can't take the change because he make me give him the receipt every time and if even a penny is missing, I get a beating.

My eyes shoot open. The safe. Father has a safe in his bedroom, behind the picture of mom. I only know it's there because one time, a few months ago, he was getting out the grocery money and didn't realize that I had been upstairs getting a sweater.

I get out of bed as quickly as I can and race to his room, but not before making sure that his cruiser is still gone.

Typing in the passcode, knowing it's my mom's birthday, just like everything else, I bounce from foot to foot, looking over my shoulder. I'm usually not allowed in his room, aside from when I'm cleaning, and even then, Father is standing in the doorway the whole time.

Opening the safe, I see a stack of ten dollar bills, with that paper band around it reading $100 in bold, black lettering. There is another stack of twenties with the band reading $500. I grab both of them, and as I am sliding them out, a piece of paper falls from underneath them, to the floor. It's a letter.

 _Charlie,_

 _I am sorry but I can't do this anymore. You cheated. I can't forgive you for that. I am moving back to Forks until Isabella is born and then you will never see me again. I can't believe you have a daughter, after we tried for years to have a baby! You just went and had one with someone else! Well you can have them as your family. You will never know Isabella, as long as I am around to do something about it._

 _Renee_

Renee. As in my mother. And me. She was going to take me away from him!

I slowly back up and plop onto his bed. I have a sister. Maybe even more siblings. Who knows who this woman is?

There has to be more information in that safe, I think to myself.

I go back to the safe and dig around until I find a picture of my dad and another woman, one I don't recognize. On the back it reads 'Angela Weber, 1994, Seattle.'

Going to the computer in the spare bedroom, I look up Angela Weber in Seattle in 1994. When I find her, I nearly shout with joy. She lives in Chicago.

XxXxXx

"Where to, Miss?" asks the sales ticket lady at the bus station.

"Chicago, please."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I know I said it would be a while, but I just got so excited that y'all have liked it that I wrote this chapter in about an hour and a half! I may also still be procrastinating at studying for finals!**

 **Thank you so much for reviewing and favoriting and all that. GAH! I am just so excited that y'all like it so far!**

 **Annnnnywaysss**

 **Again, it is not edited, so please, excuse any mistakes!**

 **Also, don't forget to review! ;)**

XxXxXx

July 2015, Chicago, Illinois

"Amora Renee, get your butt over here, right now!"

My three year old comes running out of her room, her long, black hair coming loose from her pigtails. Why I bother putting that child's hair up is beyond me, it always ends up coming out 10 minutes later anyway.

"Yes, mommy?" she asks.

I put my hands on my hips and look down at her, "You wouldn't happen to know who colored on the wall in the living room, would you?" I try my hardest to hold back my smile, keeping a stern face. She just looks so cute.

She is a mix of both me and her father. I am in her brown eyes, pouty lips, and button nose. She also managed to get my thick, unruly hair, hence the ponytail debacle. From her father she got her black as night hair color and tan skin, due to his Native American heritage. Sometimes I am envious of how she can never burn, whereas I have to slather myself in sunscreen anytime I go out for longer than half an hour.

Being a single mother of a 3 year-old at the age of 19 is something I never thought would happen, but was what made me realize that I had to get out of Father's house. Showing up, beaten and bruised, on Angela's doorstep has to be the best thing to happen in my life, aside from my daughter, of course. Angela instantly recognized me, saying I looked just like my mother, and was shocked to see me in such bad shape. She invited me in and offered me some hot chocolate, before asking me what happened. I told her everything, from the verbal abuse until I was 8 to the beatings to the surprise pregnancy and how I feared for my unborn child's life, sobbing pretty much the whole way through the story.

 _Damn pregnancy hormones._

She then told me how she had no idea that my mother had died giving birth to me and thought I was being taken care of by my mother. She didn't want to stay in the loop after finding out that my dad had a wife when they were together, and then bumping into said wife at the doctor's office.

As it turned out, I did have another sibling.

A brother.

His name is Jasper and he is the same age as me. When Angela was pregnant with him, from her current husband, Ben Cheney, my mother was pregnant with me. He takes after his mother, and looks like Rose. Whereas I got most of my coloring from my dad, Jasper and Rose have the coloring of their mother. Blond hair, blue eyes, and tall. I stand at 5 feet and 3 inches, while Rose is 5' 10" and Jasper is six foot.

"Well, mommy, I think it was Phillip." Phillip was her imaginary friend, any time she did anything wrong, poor Phillip would get the blame.

"Oh really?"

She vehemently shakes her head yes, wide eyes, her curls swishing back and forth with her head motion, "Uh huh! I tolds him not to, but he didn't listen to me!"

"Well, you make sure to tell Phillip that I don't appreciate it and now _you_ are going to have to clean it up, all by yourself." At that she groans and stomps her little foot. "Uh uh uh! None of that. You can do it when we get home though, now go finish getting ready for day care. I have to be at work early today."

She reluctantly nods her head and walks off, mumbling under her breath ". . . Phillip" and ". . . wasn't my fault," Shaking my head, I go back to my room to get dressed.

When I first came to Chicago, I didn't want to have to go back to school and start out as the pregnant girl, on top of the new girl, so Angela agreed to let me get my GED instead. I graduated a year early, and instead of going to college I decided to work for a few years. Since Angela and her husband Ben hadn't planned on sending another kid to college, it was an easy decision.

They offered to pay anyway, of course, but I knew that money was tight and I didn't want to make it any harder on them. I was living with them, unexpectedly, while pregnant, so I figured they had done enough.

Just six months ago, I had finally saved up enough for a down payment on a nice enough apartment, and Amora and I had moved in last week. It had two bedrooms, the master next to the front door and a second bedroom, just off the kitchen, which was Amora's. One bathroom, next to Amora's bedroom, to share. The rest was an open floor plan with an island separating the kitchen and the living room. Since we haven't had a lot of time to unpack, there are boxes everywhere and we only have the basic furniture: our beds, dressers for each of us, and a couch in the living room with a coffee table.

I put on my black work shirt with the shop's logo on the breast pocket, Pick Me Up Grill, with my khakis. I have worked at the same diner since I was sixteen and haven't left since.

"Alright, baby girl, let's go!"

"One second, mommy! Phillip is taking for-ever!"

Shaking my head, I chuckle to myself.

She's definitely going to be a handful when she's a teenager.

XxXxXx

After dropping off Amora at daycare, I walk the three blocks to work. I am greeted by the other server on duty today, Sue, a retired middle school teacher working to fill her time, and the cook, Emmett. Emmett and my sister, Rose, are dating, and have been since they were in high school. I am under good authority that Emmett has been carrying around an engagement ring in his pocket for the past two months.

Meaning, he nearly lost his mind with nerves after buying the ring and blurted it out to me one day.

"Sup, Bella?" Emmett shouts from the back.

Since I never had any friends in Forks, and Father only ever used my full name, it shocked me when my sister's bear of a boyfriend picked me up and spun me around while shouting, "Bella, Bella!" on my first day at work.

"Oh, nothing much. Just Phillip wreaking havoc as usual." I say, with a giggle at his enthusiasm at eight o'clock in the morning.

Em bellows out a laugh and shakes his head, knowing all too well about "Phillip's" antics. Em has even used him as an excuse a few times when he gets in trouble with Rose.

I walk to the back office, clock in and put up my hair in a high ponytail, before grabbing my apron, tying it around my waist and going back to the front to begin my shift.

At around noon, Rose comes in from work for lunch, dressed to impress in a power suit and stilettos. Usually, Rose is pretty casual, but when she needs to dress up, she _dresses up._

"Hey, Bella," the nickname kind of stuck for everyone, "how was my little angel niece this morning?" I fill her in on my morning and I spend my break just catching up with my sister. We haven't had much time recently to actually sit and just talk about our lives, with her just starting at a prominent law firm for her internship and me moving into my own apartment.

During a lull in the conversation, she gets this look on her face, and a smile stretches across her face, white teeth on display, like she knows something I don't. I am immediately suspicious.

"So, Bella."

"So, Rose."

She laughs, "When was the last time you, you know, went on a date?" I let out a loud groan.

I knew this was going to come up.

"You should know. You set it up." I say.

And it was awful.

It was about 2 months ago and Rosalie had taken it upon herself to decide that I had been alone for too long, reasoning that I hadn't dated at all since moving to Chicago, and that is was time.

Like I had been dating before.

His name was Mike and he still lived with his parents, at 23. Which, normally, wouldn't have been that bad, except his parents did everything for him. _Everything._ They drove us to and from the restaurant because Mike didn't have a driver's license, and planned on not getting one for as long as he could get away with it. And then he expected us to kiss goodnight in the back of his parent's minivan, while his parents were _still in the car._

Needless to say, I didn't talk to Rose for a week after that.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know he was still practically a child? He seemed so put together and mature at work!" Rose exclaims.

Ignoring her, I went on, "You are not allowed to set me up anymore! I will find a date on my own. If I even want one."

With that, I stood up quickly and whirled around only to bounce off of something hard and land on my butt onto the dirty, diner floor.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't really have a posting schedule in mind, so I just decided that I will post whenever I feel like writing a chapter, which seems to be a lot lol, so there will probably not be too long between chapters.**

 **Thank you so much for all of the favorites and follows, they mean a lot to me! I am seriously obsessed with reading all of the chapter stats and seeing where in the world people are reading! So many different countries!**

 **I also find that I get very interested in the authors that I read, so if you ever have any questions, just ask! ;)**

 **Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to review!**

 **XxXxXx**

After I get over the shock of basically being plowed down, I look up and see a man standing over me, his shirt doused completely in coffee, probably from the empty cup that is still clutched in his hand.

It actually looks like he's gripping it pretty hard.

He must be angry.

 _Shit. There you go again. Always causing problems and making people angry with your useless existence._

Ignoring my inner voice, having gotten used to it after so long, I start to apologize, "I am so, _so_ sorry, sir! I will get something right now to clean that up." I struggle to stand up because of the coffee all over the floor. It takes me a second to register the hand that is reaching down, presumably to help me up.

And then, the most calming yet alluring voice I have ever heard, speaks, "Let me help you up."

I pause for a second and then reach up to grab the hand, pulling myself up, not realizing that he was pulling at the same time, and probably using more force than me.

And then I am falling in the opposite direction, except, this time, I fall into the hard, coffee covered chest of whoever knocked me over in the first place. I look up and freeze.

Green. All I can see is a set of green eyes. I want to say that they were clear and perfect, but I know the look clouded in his eyes.

He _is_ angry.

"Uhm, Bella?"

I jolt at the sound of Rose's voice and pull away from his surprisingly gentle arms, clearing my throat and pushing my hair out of my face. "I'll go get something to clean that up, sir." I walk as calmly as possible to the back, ignoring Emmett's questioning looks, before going into the walk in freezer, shutting the door behind me. I let out a loud sigh, and then slide down the wall, until I am sitting on the cold, metallic ground with my knees up to my chest, my arms wrapped around my legs and forehead on my knees.

It seems that even after three years I still have a way of causing problems.

 _Stupid, stupid Isabella. Why can you never do anything right?_

Done with my five seconds of self-hatred, I squeeze my eyes shut, let out a loud breathe, stand up and calmly walk out into the kitchen. "You alright, Bella?"

I look over at Emmett, still holding a spatula, with a concerned look on his face. I put on an obviously fake smile, and say, with false enthusiasm, "Yup. Everything is great." Knowing I couldn't hold a smile much longer, I quickly grab a rag from the shelf and bolt out of the kitchen.

When I get back to the scene of the crime, the only one there is Rose, still sitting in our booth, my mystery man MIA.

"Where did he go?" I ask quizzically.

Rose looks downright giddy, "He was late for a meeting, but wanted me to give you this." She holds out a card, about the right size for a business card. I take it from her, shooting her a puzzled look, before looking down to read it, it says:

 _Edward Cullen_

 _Cullen Enterprises_

 _CEO_

"His business card?"

"Look on the back."

I flip it over and handwritten is a separate phone number. An office number maybe? "Why would he give me his business card?"

Rose looks disappointed, "It's his cell phone number, silly!" When I continue to stare at her she scoffs, "He's interested in you!"

I laugh.

She just stares at me.

I stop laughing.

"Wait, you're serious?"

No, this is all wrong. He was mad. Furious, even. And there's no way a guy like him, the CEO of a huge company like that, would want to get to know me. Plain 'ole, messed up, Bella Swan. I'm not even pretty!

"No. He probably just wants me to dry clean his shirt or something, I bet it was expensive. I'll just send him some money and it'll all be even."

Rose looks at me, all sad like, "You don't see yourself clearly, do you, sweetheart? Damn your father. Damn him to hell." It wasn't an angry explanation. More like exasperated.

 _Why? He never did anything wrong. I got all that I deserved._

But I don't say that out loud, I learned that the hard way. They get all defensive when I blame myself for what happened, even though it was my fault.

Instead, I turn around and start cleaning up the mess of the floor, "I'll just send him the money."

 _There's no way he would want to date me._

XxXxXx

Seeing my little girl after a hard day at work is just what I needed. The whole way home she talked about the picture she drew, that she proudly displayed to me as soon as I showed up, and all of the other kids. Her best friend this week is a little girl named Katy. Last week it was Joyce, the week before it was Josh, you get the idea. When we got home I hung her picture up on the fridge and then we had some spaghetti for dinner. Getting Amora ready for bed is always the most challenging part of our day, it seems like she just hates sleep. However, with the right story and a lullaby, she's out like a light.

But now, it's one AM and I can't sleep. All I can see is my mystery man, and his eyes. I'm sure when they aren't filled with anger, they're beautiful.

To be honest, that was all I saw of him. I was too stunned to look at anything else.

Rose's idea that he was interested in me? Ha, it's laughable. He just wanted me to clean his shirt, is all.

Right?

 _Of course it is! Why would he want you for anything else?_

When I came to Chicago, I left everything behind, all I packed was a few nights worth of clothes and some toiletries. But I guess my inner voice didn't get the memo.

Reaching over to my nightstand I pick up the card I had put there earlier. I trace the raised print of his name.

 _Edward Cullen._

With a sigh I decide that on my break tomorrow I will go to the library and google him.

That's not creepy. Not at all.

I put the card back on my bedside table and fluff my pillow before rolling onto my side. I fall into a restless sleep filled with violence and, strangely, a pair of haunting, green eyes, mixed with an alluring voice that I can't get out of my head.

XxXxXx

I wake up the next morning and check my phone, right away I see a missed call from the daycare, but then I notice that I have woken up a half an hour late. Making a mental note to call them back, I scramble out of bed, nearly falling, and rush into the bathroom to take a rushed shower. After I start the coffee pot I make a mad dash into Amora's room. She does not appreciate having to get out of bed, as I sit on the edge of the bed shaking, what I believe to be, her leg.

"C'mon, Amora! You need to get up for mommy or we're going to be late!"

Slowly, coming out from underneath the mountain of pillows and blankets on her bed, is a little mass of frizzy, tangled curls. "Okay mommy, I'll be up in a-" her sentence is cut off by a huge yawn overcoming her face.

Still feeling rushed, I go over to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day as she slowly gets out of bed, "Hurry, Amora, we can't be late." Usually, I'd let her choose her own clothes, but we just don't have the time this morning. I lay out a pair of jeans with some flowers on the back pockets, and a plain pink t-shirt.

Donned in my work uniform, I practically drag Amora behind me on the two block walk to her daycare.

When I get there, I nearly scream in frustration. There is a sign on the door saying that they daycare will be closed for the day, due to a pipe that burst the night before.

That must've been why they called me this morning, I thought to myself.

I make a couple of calls to see if anyone is available to watch her, but Angela has a substitute teaching job that she can't get out of, Rose has work, Ben is out of state at a conference, and Jasper is still in school.

I kneel down in front of Amora and put my hands on her shoulders, "How would you like to come with mommy to her work, sweetpea?"

"Really, mommy?" The biggest smile I have ever seen, takes over her face, and when I nod my head she claps her hands and starts jumping up and down, "Yes, mommy! I wants to stay wif you, always!" I laugh, because she is just too cute. I stand up, take her hand and start the walk to work.

When we are about a half a block away, Amora breaks away from me and starts running towards the diner, "Amora! Don't run ahead of me!" I start to half walk/half jog towards the diner, as I see her walking through the doors. When I get inside I see her climbing up onto one of the barstools, her favorite spot to sit. Not noticing that she decided to pick a stool next to a man with peculiar colored hair, almost like a penny, I walk up next to her and turn her away from the bar, so she is facing me.

"You can't run away from mommy like that again, Amora! You nearly scared me to death!" I look up at the man behind her when I hear the beautiful voice that had haunted my dreams the night before.

"So you have a daughter."

XxXxXx

 **A/N: EPOV next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am sorry that this is so late. I've just had a really busy break. First I had to make it through finals, then I was sick for a week, then I went skiing with the worst excuse for wifi ever that only ever worked in one corner of the living room *rolls eyes* and with 7 people in my family there wasn't a lot of room for updating, and now I am uploading this from my mom's computer because I am visiting her for the week.**

 **I sat down multiple times to write this and it just wasn't coming out the way I wanted it to. I started over probably 5 times. I am still not completely happy with it but I wanted to get something up for y'all before the new year. Cutting it close I know. I am sorry it's so short, I just kind of ran out of steam.**

 **Well, I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think of Edward!**

 **XxXxXx**

EPOV

I rake my fingers through my hair, sighing loudly to show my displeasure at the lack of service.

Normally I am not this rude, however, I have a very important board meeting in less than 15 minutes. I came into this random diner, Pick-something, to get a quick cup of coffee, but the waitress is taking forever.

Starting my own company was not something I ever thought I would do, but it happened. In college I came up with an algorithm that could predict whether changes, and my roommate, James Hunter, pointed out that it could also be used to predict changes in the stock market, and it just grew from there. As time went on, we became very successful and because of that James decided to retire early. He is retired with a hefty bank account, never needs to work again, went on to marry a wonderful woman named Vicki and has two boys, Sebastian and Simon.

I, however, do not have any ideas of stopping work anytime soon, not after the Leah incident, which I do not like to talk about. I could very easily stop working now and be set for life, but I am a very focus driven man, and with nothing to occupy my time, I would go crazy. At 31, my mother wants to me settle down, and has for a very long time, but after Leah I have become wary of women. I would love to meet the love of my life and have a family, but I will not settle like I did with Leah. In order to trust women again, I feel that she would have to be something special and I will not give up until I find her.

Looking down at my watch, I see that I only have about 10 minutes to get to the office. Just then, the waitress walks by with a tray in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. As she passes by my table she drops the mug off with a "There ya go" and makes her way to another table with the tray. I huff and decide to go up to the counter to get a to-go cup. Just as I turn around, I bump into the person getting out of the booth behind me, knocking her to the ground, and dousing myself in the hot coffee that was in my hand. At first I'm angry.

 _I just wanted a coffee,_ _dammit!_

I don't register what this girl looks like before I thrust my hand out to help her up, still seething. She sort of flails around, trying to get up herself, apologizing profusely, before she realizes that I was offering her my hand. "Let me help you up."

And then I am mad at myself. I was so caught up in my rage that I failed to notice how amazingly beautiful this woman is.

She looks younger than me, by how much I can't really tell; she is a timeless beauty. No make-up, that I can see anyway, with big, soulful brown eyes, and what seems to be long chocolatey brown hair, pulled up into a ponytail at the top of her head. But what draws me in the most, and making me feel like a pervert, is her big pouty lips. Normally I am not a vulgar man, but at that moment all I could think about was what those lips would look like around my cock, while I pulled on that ponytail of hers.

When I pull her up, I am so distracted that I use more force than necessary, unconsciously wanting her in my arms, and she face plants into my chest. Her head barely reaches my shoulder and I am in heaven.

She pulls away so fast that I nearly whimper with the loss.

"Uhm, Bella?"

I was so consumed by her that I failed to notice her companion, a stunning blonde woman looking on to the trainwreck that was our meeting.

That seems to jolt Bella, such a beautifully simple name, into action and she is quick to offer her help to clean up the mess, before clumsily jogging into the back, leaving the door swinging in her wake. I stand there for a moment before realizing that the exchange probably used up my time before the meeting. I look at my watch and run a frustrated hand through my hair.

Wait!

Her friend!

Turning to the blonde I say, "Hello. My name is Edward Cullen, I find your friend breathtakingly beautiful and I must see her again," as I talk, I take out one of my business cards and write my cell number on the back with a discarded pen from the table, "but I am late for a meeting, so if you could please give this to her, I would appreciate it very much." I stand up and thrust the card into the blonde's face.

She nods so fast I thought her head was going to fly off, "Of course!" I thank her as she grabs the card out of my hand and I rush out of the diner, hoping I am not too late for the meeting.

XxXxXx

Kicked back in my chair after the end of my board meeting, I am finally able to think of the beautiful woman I knocked into at the diner. _Bella._ Such a wonderful name. And for such a timeless beauty. She reminds me of the old time hollywood stars. From what I could tell through her frumpy work clothes hiding most of her body, she has curves for days. I never liked stick thin woman, and after thinking about that time in my life for so long, I think that might be part of the reason that Leah and I didn't work out. She was always obsessed with the latest dieting trend or work out routine that the stars were using. I like something I could hold onto, something soft after a long day of being a hardass CEO all day.

Bella seemed to be perfect.

I just hoped her personality matched her looks.

Realizing that I wasn't going to be able to concentrate, I called my mother and decided to spend the day with her, and maybe be able to see my younger sister, Alice.

Being 13 years younger than me, Alice was definitely an 'oops' baby, but not loved any less. She has just graduated from high school and is taking a gap year to go to Paris to study fashion. She leaves next month so I want to spend as much time with her as I can before she goes.

I leave the office, waving to my assistant, Kate, and grab a cab to my parents house.

I pull up to my parents home and just stand back to take it all in. I want to remember everything I can about this day, the day I possibly met my future wife. It is a modest 4 bedroom house with a wrap around porch and a white picket fence, the outside of the house painted a vibrant yellow with white trim. Hanging from the tree in the front yard is the tire swing I put up when I was ten, which my mother says she's saving for her grandbabies. Lining the base of the wrap around porch is my mother's crowning achievement, her rose garden. When I was a kid she would spend hours in the hot sun, making sure they would stay alive through the winter months. The door is a bold red, which finishes off the visual representation of the American dream that is my childhood home. As a pediatrician at a family run clinic, my mother, Esme, makes good money for what they want in life. My father, Carlisle, helps as a freelance construction worker to make their money situation comfortable. I offered, once, to buy them a bigger home, but I knew that they would say no. They're comfortable how they are. They were never caught up in appearances or how they would look to other people, and that is what they instilled into Alice and me. They are by no means wealthy and that is okay with them.

I shake my head, smiling as I walk up to the front porch and into the mudroom that leads into the hallway by the stairs. The floors are an old hardwood, and creak everywhere. The wooden staircase to my right it made of real wood and leads to the upstairs, obviously, where my childhood bedroom is still how I left it. I walk into the kitchen to my mom listening to the radio and I walk up behind her, surprising her with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. She laughs, "Oh, Edward! You scared me!"

"Sorry, mom," I chuckle.

"I am so glad you decided to come and visit me! It's been way too long since my only boy has been home." She wipes her hands on a towel and gives me a proper hug, "Why the sudden visit?"

"Well," I shuffle my foot and look down, "I kind of met someone." I go on to tell her what had happened that morning and all of the thoughts I had about her, minus the dirty ones, of course. "I don't know if I am going to be able to wait until she calls, who knows? Maybe she won't."

My mom smiles and clasps her hands together in front of her face, "My boy has met a girl. When do I get to meet her?" She obviously stopped listening after I had said that I met someone.

"Mom, literally nothing has happened yet. For God's sake, the first thing I did was knock her to the ground! Why would she even want to call me. She must think I am a complete idiot and that I knock people over for no reason. Oh, God, she's probably never going to call and then I'll never see her ag-"

"Edward!" my mom shouts, "Stop getting yourself into such a tizzy. She'll call and everything will be okay, okay?"

I take a deep breath, "Okay."

I spend the rest of the day with my mom and Alice when she gets home from shopping. We catch up on the goings on in our lives and all that we've missed. It was great to hang out for no reason, no errands to run or activities to be on time for. My dad was on a site, so I made a mental note to call him up for coffee soon.

After saying an overly dramatic goodbye to my mother, overdramatic on her part, I head home to my condo to make a plan.

I need to see my Bella.

XxXxXx

 **I will send a teaser to anyone that knows what movie his business is from!**

 **Review, review, review!**

 **Ciao!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry this is so, so late.**

 **My brothers surgery went really well and he is healed and mostly recovered. I have just started getting the hang of my new job and I have finally settled into a schedule. This isn't really long but I just felt like posting something to get this story restarted.**

 **I hope you like it!**

 **XxXxXx**

BPOV

 _When we are about a half a block away, Amora breaks away from me and starts running towards the diner, "Amora! Don't run ahead of me!" I start to half walk/half jog towards the diner, as I see her running through the doors. When I get inside I see her climbing up onto one of the barstools, her favorite spot to sit. Not noticing that she decided to pick a stool next to a man with peculiar colored hair, almost like a penny, I walk up next to her and turn her away from the bar, so she is facing me._

" _You can't run away from mommy like that again, Amora! You nearly scared me to death!" I look up at the man behind her when I hear the beautiful voice that had haunted my dreams the night before._

" _So you have a daughter."_

XxXxXx

"Mr., uh, Cullen. Hi. Sorry about yesterday. I will absolutely pay for your shirt to be dry cleaned. Oh, uh, yes, my daughter, Amora," I smile fondly at her, and she returns it with a cheeky smile of her own, "She obviously doesn't like to listen to her mommy, does she?" I look up at Mr. Cullen and see that he is still looking at me with a small smile on his face, instead of at Amora like I assumed he would be. I clear my throat at the sudden awkwardness, and look down to the ground, "About yesterday. . . " He cuts me off.

"It was no problem, really," he leans down to Amora, "Tell your mommy that it was okay that she spilled coffee on me, okay Amora?" Her eyes get really wide.

"Momma! You tolds me I couldn't carry the coffee 'cus I would spill it, should you get your pridv. . . priv. . . "

"Privileges, sweetpea?"

"Yeah those! Should you get your privileges taken away, too?" Mr. Cullen takes this time to interrupt again.

"I don't think so, and I'm the one she spilt coffee on!" He made his eyes go wide and brought his shoulders up in an exaggerated shrug. Amora's tinkling laugh rang out through the diner and everyone looked our way. Amora and I both turned bright red. I cleared my throat again and told Amora to go see Emmett in the kitchen, and she skipped away with a wave to Mr. Cullen and then we were alone.

Well, except for the 12 other people eating in the diner.

I keep looking at the ground when I feel a hand come down onto my shoulder, "Look, Bella, I don't think you understand why I gave your friend my card yesterday. I want to take you out on a date, if that's alright." I look up when I feel his hand come off of my shoulder and I see that he is just as nervous as I am. He is rubbing the back of his neck and can't seem to stop from bouncing from foot to foot.

 _You know he could never want you. This must be a joke. A way to get back at you for spilling coffee on him. He could never actually like you. I mean look at you! You still haven't lost all of the baby weight! And if your own father hates you what makes you think this stranger could ever even tolerate you!?_

Any camaraderie I had felt before with his awkwardness before suddenly disappears. My inner voice is right. This is probably just revenge. My breathing starts to pick up, my palms get sweaty and my jaw clenches, all signs that indicate a panic attack.

 _Oh shit, not again you little bitch, you're so weak,_ my inner voice spits.

I don't even look up, one second I'm there and the next, I'm in the freezer again.

XxXxXx

I don't come out again until Amora sticks her head into the door asking if I'm alright, and then I feel horrible.

She watched me freak out, when I have always tried to hide it from her. This is only the second time I have messed up and the first was so long ago that she doesn't even remember it. I had gone out by myself for the first time since she was born and I took her to the park, because it was such a nice day. I had just sat down on the bench when I saw someone that looked like Father, and I flipped. I was grabbing at my hair, mumbling "it can't be him",trying to stay quiet, to not alert Amora or the other people at the park. When I was done, and I had steadied my breathing a little bit, I looked over at my one year old daughter to find her staring at me, her face covered in tears. I had scared her.

I promised myself that day that I would never let her see that ever again. And I had kept that promise.

Until today.

"Mommy's okay, sweetie. I just. . . uh. . . don't feel too good." My sweet, sweet baby rushed to my side and proceed to cover my face with dozens of kisses until I had fallen over and she was on top of me and we were both laughing hysterically.

"Momma! I'm doin' what you do to me!" she squealed, "Imma make you feel tons better!"

"Oh, baby, You already have, just by being your adorable self." Her eyes widened and so did her smile.

"Of course I'm adorable! You made me!" I wanted to cry at just how sweet my baby was, but I knew it would scare her again, so I held it in.

"How about we go bug Emmett for some breakfast, huh?" She didn't even answer, she was already running towards him screaming his name. I giggled and pulled myself up from the floor by one of the shelves, following her out the door.

XxXxXx

 **Like I said, not long, but I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review, review, review!**

 **(Also, still not preread or edited by anyone other than me, so please excuse the mistakes. And if you, or you know of anyone that would like to beta, let me know)**

 **Bex**


	6. Chapter 6

**So I am writing this A/N before I've even written the chapter because I just wanted to tell y'all how sorry I am that this is so late. I don't even have a good excuse anymore. My brother is fine, I've had days that I could've written something but I just didn't. I have no plans for this story and I am just writing it as it comes to me, I have no outline other than how I wanted their first meeting to go. I just got so overwhelmed with not having a plan that I just kept putting it off. I feel horrible for not updating in so long that I am just going to push my nerves to the side and just write something.**

 **So here goes nothing.**

 **Please excuse any mistakes. I can only catch so much.**

 **As always review and let me know what you think!**

 **See you at the bottom!**

Previously

" _Of course I'm adorable! You made me!" I wanted to cry at just how sweet my baby was, but I knew it would scare her again, so I held it in._

" _How about we go bug Emmett for some breakfast, huh?" She didn't even answer, she was already running towards him screaming his name. I giggled and pulled myself up from the floor by one of the shelves, following her out the door._

BPOV

After I got over my nervous breakdown, I got back to work, but not before setting Amora up with coloring books and crayons that I leave behind the counter for days just like this. I then asked Emmett to make her some scrambled eggs with toast. His answering salute and wink made me laugh.

In the time it took me to have my moment, Edw- Mr. Cullen, had left and Rose had clocked in for the start of her shift. She sometimes helped out on her slow days at the office, claiming she would be doing nothing anyway and might as well be productive. She gave me a look when she saw me coming out of the freezer with Amora, but luckily the breakfast rush had just hit us and she let me be, for now, when I just shook my head at her.

I loved working the morning shift the most because that is when all of the older people would come in before going off to do whatever it is that old people do.

One of my regulars, and favorite customers, Mr. Daniels, or Stan as he has repeatedly told me to call him, was about 75 years old and showed up every morning, without fail.

"Good morning, Mr. Da- Stan. Your usual?" I asked.

His answering smile was blinding and his eyes crinkled dramatically in the corners, "Of course, dear. In the three years you've known me, has it ever changed?"

I laughed, "Of course not. How silly of me to think it would. So I will be back with your black _decaf_ coffee in just a minute." I shot him a wink before walking back to the counter.

"Why did I tell you about my wife again, Bella?" he called out after me. I just smiled and shook my head while I got his coffee ready.

Stan had come in for the first time the day I started working at the coffee shop. I was so nervous and shy that I wouldn't look him in the eye and I spilled coffee on him, twice. He just brushed it off and told me how much I reminded him of his late wife, Anne Marie. She had died suddenly of a heart attack just two months prior and the first day he came in was the anniversary of her death. He had come into the coffee shop on a whim, not wanting to be alone on the dreadful day, as all four of his kids lived out of state. In between customers I would come back to Stan just to hear his stories. He regaled me of all the European trips they went on before they started having kids and how loving and kind Anne was. He said I reminded him of her in my shyness but also in my determination. All that first day I would make mistakes and I apologized to people more than I ever had in my life, yet I still tried.

About a week or two after we had first met, Stan told me about how his wife had always regulated his caffeine intake and how he started getting lax on how much he drank. That is when I started only giving him regular once a week. He always gripes and complains, but I know he appreciates it.

It's just our thing.

I walk over and drop off his coffee, before looking up and realizing that other than a big burly man getting some pastries after the gym, Stan was the only person in the diner. I knew what that meant, the Rose Inquisition was about to start. I tried to make myself look busy but then I heard Stan let out a laugh and I looked up the see Rose standing there with her hands on her hips and tapping her toe. "C'mon Bella, It's time we talked."

"But I'm helping Stan-" I was interrupted.

"Oh no, my dear, I am just fine. You go and talk with your sister." he smiled devilishly at me. I stuck my tongue out at him before turning and following Rose to an empty booth, smiling when I hear Stan laughing behind my back. I quickly checked the counter for Amora, like I had done periodically all morning, only to realize that she was gone.

I started to panic, before Rose saw my panicked look and quickly informed me that she was back with Emmett starting on the lunch prep.

The conversation lulled while I looked down at my fingers and started to pick at my nails. I decided to just get it over with, without looking up I start, "Amora couldn't go to daycare because a pipe burst last night so I brought her here. When she saw the diner she started running and wouldn't stop; by the time I got to her, she was already sitting at the bar. I mean, I saw him out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't register that it was him. Next thing I know he's talking with Amora and being so cute and he was so good with her and then he was asking me out, and everything happened so fast and I freaked. I mean why would he want to date me? I'm nothing special." It's quiet for a minute or two, but then I finally have the urge to look up, so I do.

Rose is staring at me, but there doesn't seem to be any emotion on her face. She's just staring. It's actually kinda creepy, if I think about it.

Then she bursts into tears.

Okay. I was not expecting that.

Rose is not a crying kind of person, so I've never had to deal with it before, I don't know what to do or say. She quickly tries to compose herself, and I sit, letting her have a moment.

"I'm sorry, Bella. It just makes me so sad, what your _father_ ," she spit the word like it had somehow done her wrong, "put you through. You're an amazing person and it just sucks that you're still suffering from it." She reaches over and grabs my hand, which had stopped it's torment on my nails, "Anyone would be lucky to have you and it _fucking_ sucks that you can't see it. Oh, and I was crying because I'm pregnant!" she squeals, which causes Stan to look up in concern, before seeing smiles and going back to his coffee and newspaper.

It takes me a second to switch from her usual 'you're an amazing person' rant to 'I'm pregnant' with only a breath.

"Oh my gosh! Rosie! That's amazing!" I jump up to go to the other side of the booth to give her a hug. "Does Emmett know yet?"

"No, I was planning on telling everyone together but you just looked so shocked that I was crying that I just had to tell you," she laughs.

"Well, thank you. I didn't know what to do! You never cry. Well except for Titanic."

She nods, "True, true. It's been a bitch trying to hide it from Em but he's been his normal dense self. Actually, I'm sure if I never told him he would just think I had gained a bunch of weight!" I laugh because it's true; Em's not the most observant of people. "Anyway, back to _Mr. Cullen._ What did you say when he asked you out?"

And I told her everything, even the bits I kept in my head. I'm not usually open about the thoughts in my head but something about Rose just makes me want to bare my soul to her. Any acquaintances, not friends, I've ever had just assumed my dad kicked me out when I got pregnant; I let them think what they wanted. It was easier than telling them my dad hated me for killing my mom.

"Well I know you don't like it when I meddle," Rose said, "so I'm gonna leave it alone for now."

My jaw dropped. But. . . she never just drops anything!

"Uhm, okay?"

She must see the surprise on my face because she leans forward with her elbows on the table and her hands under her chin, "I can see how much this is messing with your head so I'm just gonna back off and let you come to me this time. Hopefully, you know you can come to me with anything."

"Of course I know I can."

A pause.

"This pregnancy is really messing you up, huh?" I said with a straight face.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I'll be back to my normal bitchy self in about 8 months!" We both burst into giggles, which caught the attention of Stan again.

XxXxXx

The next week and a half flew by. I only thought about _Edward_ a few times. Okay, pretty much everyday. What shocked me the most, was that I wanted to say yes.

To a date.

With _Edward Cullen_.

Billionaire, CEO Edward Cullen.

One morning i decided to put a bit of effort into my appearance. Meaning I put on mascara, blush, and some lip gloss. And I put my hair into a messy bun and after 15 minutes redoing it to be _perfectly messy_ I decided that I could pass as pretty. Kind of.

I went back and forth about what to do with the fact that Edward Cullen wanted to date me. I sound like a broken record but it's just so incomprehensible to me that _anyone_ would want to date me, yet I have this extremely good looking, intelligent, successful man basically knocking down my door to go on a date with me. Okay not literally my door, but he has been sending flowers to work with little notes. And not basic roses or daisies. We're talking elaborate, expensive bouquets.

The notes are another thing altogether.

They started out very sweet, poems and declarations of affection. Then they started to change. Not hugely, but a little.

They went from, _Not a day goes by that I am not thinking about your smile._

To, _I want to wake up every morning to your beautiful face._

They started to get intense and . . . I think I like it? Before I slept with Jacob, I put a lot of thought into it. I didn't bring it up with him for about two months after I decided I wanted to do it. I just don't think I could do casual. And, well, Edward has no problem telling me that he definitely does not want casual.

XxXxXx

After another week of the flowers, my apartment looks like a florist, and I have decided that I am going to call him. I don't know what I am going to say but I would really like to go on a date with him. Even if it doesn't work out, it will be a good experience for me, I've decided.

After I have put Amora down for bed, and triple checked my alarms, I dial his number.

After four or five rings, he picks up.

"Edward Cullen speaking."

XxXxXx

 **A/N**

 **I do not want to admit how long it's been from the start of this chapter to the end. I'd feel even worse.**

 **I have restarted school and I now have a set schedule, which I realized is what I need in my life to be productive, and I am determined to finish this story. And I already have an idea for a one shot.**

 **In the time I haven't been doing anything, I've been going through and rereading my favorite completed stories, so I thought I'd list some of my favorites, to tide you over until I update again, because I am not sure, again, when I will update next.**

 **Recs:**

 _ **The Harvest Table**_ **by Edward's Eternal**

 _ **The Man Next Door**_ **by RobzBeanie**

 _ **Yes**_ **by GeekChic12**

 _ **The Princess and the E**_ **by CLWN (I keep going back to this one because I think that this is the best Mobward story out there!)**

 _ **Emotional Warfare**_ **by completerandomness12**

 **See you next time!**

 **Review! Review! Review!**

 **Bex**


End file.
